NP: John Cage, 4'33"

I've always taken a somewhat principled-yet-dubious stand on leaving equipment in my car overnight. With a couple of exceptions here and there, the modus operandi is that I leave the hardware in the vehicle, because it's in an unassuming black bag and is really heavy. If you're going to go through all the trouble to get it, fine.

Of course, somebody went and called my bluff.

It's the second time in three years I've been broken into in my current neighborhood. Third time, overall. It's a little disconcerting. I don't feel violated, necessarily. I feel like I may have been targeted, though. The last time, the people who hit me didn't seem to know what they were doing. They left the cymbal bag and the other random drum shit in the back, and only grabbed a backpack and tried to get the stereo. They also did all this through the rear passenger side window, with no other doors or windows affected.

This time, they tried prying the front driver-side window, then smashed the one behind it, and unlocked all the doors. They may have even tried to steal the car outright, as the ignition switch was jammed forward. I got cleaned out. They still didn't get the stereo -- only the face plate -- but they took all the gear and the iPod and cell phone headset in the glove compartment. It seemed much more thorough than the last one, and to make off with the heavy bag makes me wonder if they had a vehicle of their own in support. Doesn't sound like a simple smash and grab to me.

There are so many random factors at play, that I don't want to get bogged down in them. If I had the rehearsal originally scheduled for last night, the cymbals and probably the iPod wouldn't have been in the car, and I would have likely parked somewhere else. If I had taken the face plate off the stereo, like I used to to every time I left the car, the impetus to break in might not have been so strong. Same goes with leaving the cymbals in the car, as they're going to be more valuable and more portable to someone who knows what they're looking at. And the second hardware bag has a bright white logo on it that could draw attention. Although, if it wasn't random, all this would have done was minimize the loss.

Don't get me wrong, I'm frustrated and annoyed. But it's just stuff, and insurance will likely cover a very large chunk of it. I could try to wax sentimental about the oldest drum equipment I had that was still in regular use, the 14" Zildjian Quick Beat hi-hats that I've had since about 1981 or so, but I was looking to retire those to my rehearsal kit anyway.

I will comment that I suddenly seem to be on an accelerated three-day schedule of alternating very bad and very good days. Friday, bad. Monday, good. Thursday, bad. If Sunday is a really good day, I'm going to be a little freaked out.